Wire ties



F. O. LIGE Dec. 21, 1965 WIRE TIES Filed Feb. 13, 1965 INVENTOR FREDERICK O. LIGE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,224,054 WIRE TIES Frederick 0. Lige, Rte. 3, Hillsdale, Mich. Filed Feb. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 258,308 2 Claims. (0. 2416) The invention pertains to the field of electrical wire and cable ties and constitutes an improvement over prior ties used to tie or harness wire and cable.

It is an object of the invention to provide a preformed continuous strip of flexible material which is identically formed throughout its length whereby any desired length of material may be severed from the strip and the ends thereof interconnected without requiring additional fasteners or other means, the interconnection of the tie strip ends being accomplished solely by interlockable configurations defined by the material of the strip itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire tie defined by a strip of flexible material wherein the strip is provided with longitudinally spaced slits adapted to receive notched edges being defined throughout the length of the strip whereby any length of tie desired may be severed from the strip and the notches thereof interconnected with a slit thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of a section of a strip of wire tie material constructed in accord with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a severed portion of wire tie material when forming a loop about a group of wires, shown in light lines, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wire tie as tying a group of wires and being attached to a support.

As represented in the drawings, the tie material is in the form of a long, continuous strip of flexible material such as nylon, synthetic plastic, or the like. The material is, preferably, of a fiat or flattened configuration, for instance, it may have an oval cross-sectional configuration, if desired. The strip includes longitudinal edges in which are defined notches or teeth 1. The notches within a common edge each include a surface 5 obliquely related to the longitudinal axis of the strip and an abutment surface 6 substantially perpendicularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the strip. The oblique surfaces 5 defined in the opposite edges of the strip are axially aligned whereby arrowhead-shaped portions are defined interconnected by narrow neck portions 7.

The strip is provided with a plurality of axially extending slits 2 which are axially aligned with the surfaces 5 having a length approximately corresponding to the maximum width of the strip. Cross slits 3 are defined in the strip transversely disposed to and intersecting an end of slits 2. The length of the slits 3 is approximately that of the width of the strip neck portion 7. Mounting holes 4 are defined in the strip at the other end of each slit 2 to permit mounting of the tie.

In use, the strip is available in long, continuous lengths and may be wound on a spool, or the like, that it may be readily dispensed. The user determines the approximate length of strip he will require for a particular application and cuts the strip to provide a tie strip of the desired length. Usually the strip will be severed at a neck portion 7. The used then bends the tie strip into a loop, FIG. 2, to encompass the wires 8, or cable, to be tied and inserts the neck portion 7 into a slit 2 and pulls the strip through the slit until the formed loop firmly encompasses 3,224,054 Patented Dec. 21, 1965 the wire. The flexible nature of the strip and the fact that the slit 2 receiving the strip is of a length corresponding to the maximum width of the strip permits the t1ghtening to be readily accomplished. When the loop is tight on the wires, a neck portion 7 is aligned with the cross slit 3 intersecting the slit 2 into which the strip is received and the width of the neck portion is disposed parallel to the length of the associated cross slit. Thus, the abutment surfaces 6 adjacent the neck portion within the cross slit 3 prevent the strip from being withdrawn from the associated cross slit and the tie is completed and locked. The tie may be mounted to a support by inserting a screw 9, or other type fastener through any desired hole 4 of the tie.

I claim:

1. In a Wire tie strip of indeterminate length from which a wire tie of determinate length may be severed comprising, in combination,

(a) an elongated strip of flexible material having a repetitive configuration throughout its length and having a longitudinal axis and longitudinal edges,

(b) notches defined in each strip longitudinal edge formed by surfaces obliquely related to said strip longitudinal axis, the oblique surfaces of opposite side edges being axially aligned whereby arrowheadshaped portions are defined in said strip each having a narrow neck portion and a base portion, said base portions defining said strip maximum width, said base portions each defining a strip abutment shoulder transversely disposed to the strip axis,

(0) a longitudinally extending slit defined in each of said arrowhead-shaped portions having first and second ends and of a length substantially equal to the maximum strip width as defined by said base portions, said slit second end being disposed adjacent the neck portion of the associated arrowhead-shaped portion and said slit first end being disposed adjacent the base portion of the associated arrowhead-shaped portion, and

(d) a cross slit defined in each of said arrowheadshaped portions intersecting the associated longitudinally extending slit first end, said cross slit being transversely disposed to said strip longitudinal axis and of a length substantially equal to the width of said narrow neck portions.

2. In a wire tie strip as in claim 1 wherein:

(a) a mounting hole is defined in a plurality of said arrowhead-shaped portions, said hole intersecting the longitudinally extending slit of the associated arrowhead-shaped portion at the second end thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 876,402 1/ 1908 Schacht. 1,232,252 7/1917 Eames 24202 X 2,361,506 10/ 1944 Smith.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,086,297 8/1954 France. 67,926 10/ 1957 France.

1,079,537 4/ 1960 Germany.

346,341 3/ 1931 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY r. STOCKING, Examiner. 

1. IN A WIRE TIE STRIP OF INTERMEDIATE LENGTH FROM WHICH A WIRE TIE OF DETERMINATE LENGTH MAY BE SEVERED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) AN ELONGATED STRIP OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A REPETITIVE CONFIGURATION THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND LONGITUDINAL EDGES, (B) NOTCHES DEFINED IN EACH STRIP LONGITUDINAL EDGE FORMED BY SURFACES OBLIQUELY RELATED TO SAID STRIP LONGITUDINAL AXIS, THE OBLIQUE SURFACES OF OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES BEING AXIALLY ALIGNED WHEREBY ARROWHEADSHAPED PORTIONS ARE DEFINED IN SAID STRIP EACH HAVING A NARROW NECK PORTION AND A BASE PORTION, SAID BASE PORTIONS DEFINING SAID STRIP MAXIMUM WIDTH, SAID BASE PORTIONS EACH DEFINING A STRIP ABUTMENT SHOULDER TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED TO THE STRIP AXIS, (C) A LONGITUINALLY EXTENDING SLIT DEFINED IN EACH OF SAID ARROWHEAD-SHAPED PORTIONS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS AND OF A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE MAXIMUM STRIP WIDTH AS DEFINED BY SAID BASE PORTIONS, SAID SLIT SECOND END BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE NECK PORTION OF THE ASSOCIATED ARROWHEAD-SHAPED PORTION AND SAID SLIT FIRST END BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE BASE PORTION OF THE ASSOCIATED ARROWHEAD-SHAPED PORTION, AND (C) A CROSS SLIT DEFINED IN EACH OF SAID ARROWHEADSHAPED PORTIONS INTERSECTING THE ASSOCIATED LONGITDINALLY EXTENDING SLIT FIRST END, SAID CROSS SLIT BEING TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED TO SAID STRIP LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND OF A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID NARROW NECK PORTIONS. 